Teachers Share their Experiences While Living Abroad!

Recently, I was finally able to convince a few of my friends to go on a DMZ tour with me. I say ‘finally’, because going to the DMZ isn’t particularly popular among Koreans. My male friends in particular said they dislike their time serving their military service, thus they whined saying “why do I have to go back” when I would suggest it. Still, I got my way!

Recently, I spent a weekend enjoying a trip all the way down to the Southernmost point of the Korean peninsula. The last stop of KTX’s Jeolla line is the Yeosu EXPO Station. It takes three hours and costs 45,000 won from Seoul to Yeosu using KTX. I want to share with you why it is worth the time and investment. While I visited, I noted five reasons Yeosu is a must stop destination in South Korea.

Busan is the ideal summer vacation spot on the Korean peninsula. It has white sand beaches, cocktail lounges, and party districts. The weather is moderately warm and often cooler than Seoul due to the ocean breeze. Busan is positioned on the southern-most tip of Korea and is a bustling city with the second largest population.

The city is a quick train ride from anywhere, with access to the KTX bullet train. Seoul to Busan takes about 3 hours and a return-ticket costs about 103,000 KRW. There are also buses that leave regularly and are an easy mode of transport for those who cannot access the train services.

My favorite season has arrived! It is finally Summer in Korea! The season is short-lived in Northern Asia, as Winters are long and seasonal changes occur frequently. Catching some days in the sun is imperative to surviving Korea’s long brutal Winter months.

Living and teaching in Korea is filled with unique experiences. Often opportunities arise that should not be missed! Life in Korea can be filled with adventure if you embrace new challenges and venture outside of your comfort zone.

So what does it take to truly embrace Korea? The only way to see the country and understand the people, is to travel into the countryside or to local areas. Go beyond the tourist spots and find yourself stranded among rice paddies or the mountainside. Rural Korea is where the heart of Korea is. Most people who live in the bigger cities grew up in the countryside. If you want to understand your Korean friends, it is important t understand their upbringing and where they come from.